Another TTM Success From Carl Yastrzemski

This 2019 Topps short print of Dustin Pedroia is going to be a cool project to complete. I signed up for a private signing with Carl Yastrzemski back in October. The card came back in November, but it was smeared. The promoter took the card back, and this card that I picked up to replace it got signed. It took a while, but all has been resolved. The card looks great, and now I have to wait on a Dustin Pedroia signing. 

I mailed to the original signing on October 24 and got the card back on November 29, for a 36-day TAT. I sent the replacement card in December and got this one back today, in about 3 months (I didn't write down what day I sent the replacement out). I paid... way too much...

TTM Success - Carl Yastrzemski

That's right, I was able to get my 1987 Topps Turn Back The Clock Carl Yastrzemski signed.  It cost quite a bit, but it had to be done.  I was so excited to get the card back signed.  Given the price, though, I was kind of disappointed in how the signature turned out.  I wish it was a bit bolder, but it is crossed off of my list, so there isn't much I can do about it now.

This was a private signing through SCN that cost me $58.  I mailed on September 29 and got the card back on November 26, for a 58-day TAT.

An Assortment of Goodies From My Buddy Max

My good friend Max sent me a couple more packages recently and these were slammed full of awesome stuff.  He sent me 4 Orioles signed post cards.  Among them was this Milt Pappas.  Pappas was most remembered for being the piece that brought Frank Robinson to Baltimore.  Other signed post cards Max sent were Al Bumbry, Chris Hoiles and Tippy Martinez.

Max sent me several Conlon Collection cards, most notably this Ty Cobb.  I have the complete set of these, which I picked up at the National a few years ago, but I'm always happy to accept more of them.  They're always fun to look at, especially the players who weren't Hall of Famers that they included in the set.

Speaking of Hall of Famers, Max added a bunch of random Hall of Famers inserts in his packages.  One of them was this 2009 Topps Career Best Legends Walter Johnson.  I just talked with my buddy Andrew on Skype the other day about all-time great pitchers and Johnson was one of the ones who's stats we spent a lot of time analyzing.  I need to record some of these discussions.  They would make for great blog or Youtube posts.

Finally, Max sent along some oddball stickers like this 1982 Topps Stickers Carl Yastrzemski.  This is a pretty cool piece from later in Yaz's career that I had never seen before.

Max is a realy awesome guy whom I've spent a lot of time getting to know recently.  He's one of the best traders on Instagram, and one of the best all-around people that I've met.  I'm certainly happy that I have been able to help him out with his collection, and I'm even happier that we have built a friendship from it.  If you are on Instagram, I recommend you follow him, @graphinchitown.

Hall of Fame Signed Baseball - Carl Yastrzemski

It has been a little bit since I have added a new baseball to my Hall of Fame collection.  This ball, my 101st, is of Red Sox legend Carl Yastrzemski.  I got the ball for a steal during the Spring auction at collectauctions.com.

Yastrzemski (b. 1939) played in the majors from 1961 to 1983, all for the Red Sox.  He was the 1967 AL MVP when he captured the Triple Crown while batting .326 with 44 home runs and 121 RBIs.  He had amazing career numbers as well, collecting 3,419 hits (8th all-time), 452 home runs (35th all-time), 1,844 RBIs (13th all-time) and a lifetime batting average of .285.

Yastrzemski was a 3-time AL Batting champ (1963 - .321; 1967 - .326 and 1968 - .301).  His Triple Crown year was the only year that he led the league in RBIs and home runs.  Something funny to note, although he had seasons where he hit 40, 40 and 44 home runs, he never had a season where he ended with a home run total in the 30's.  Take away those three seasons of 40 or more homers, he only had 5 seasons where he hit 20 or more with totals of 20, 23, 21, 28 and 21 home runs.

Furthermore, in his Triple Crown year, not only did Yastrzemski take top honors in those categories, but he also led the league in runs scored, hits, OBP, slugging, OPS and total bases.

It is common knowledge that Yastrzemski never won a World Series.  Though, it is no fault of his own when you look at his stats.  In the two World Series in which he played (1967 and 1975) he batted .352 with 3 home runs and 9 RBIs in 14 games (this means both World Series went 7 games).

Yaztrzemski was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1989 (his first ballot) when he was named to 94.6% of the ballot.

COMC Pickup - 1969 Topps Leaders

Here are a few more cards I got off of COMC.  I knocked some 1969 Topps off with these two leaders cards.  I like the Ernie Banks shot.  I don't recall that I have many Willie McCovey cards.  I think I need to change that.

Here is the AL Batting Leaders card that I got.  I looked at the back and thought it was kind of funny that Yastrzemski won the AL batting crown (and triple crown that year) with a .301 batting average.  Talk about the year of the pitcher!

Well, I'm just plugging away on the 1969 set.  I'm nowhere near close to completion, but I'm enjoying putting the set together so far.  I still need a bunch of big names like Mantle and Ryan.  Those will come in time, I'm sure.

Thoughts on 2011 Topps Update Inserts

My son and I had several hours to kill on Saturday so we decided to go to the card shop here in town.  After an initial purchase of some packs (especially one jumbo pack of 2011 Topps Update Series) and looking at my watch to see we still had time to kill, I made the decision to buy a box of 2011 Topps Update Series Jumbo.  I was not disappointed...

This card came out of my initial jumbo pack.  I thought the card looked amazing and it convinced me that I really wanted to bust a box of Update...  This 'Hope Diamond' Markakis looks awesome and I think it scanned really cool...

I got a bunch of the 'Cognac' parallels.  I think these are cool too.  I was really hoping for the Brooks Robinsom, but I got Roberto Alomar and Carl Yastrzemski instead.  Not bad pulls.

The Yastrzemski looks really cool.  I think, in getting a Hall of Famer, Yaz is a pretty good one (not taking anything away from Alomar, of course).

Speaking of Hall of Famers, I also got this Andre Dawson diamond parallel.  It looks really cool scanned as well...

Check out this awesome Frank Thomas legends SP.  In an A's uniform, no less.  What a cool card, especially if you like the color green.  I had to explain to my son that Frank Thomas' nickname was The Big Hurt.  Why Daddy, he asked...  "Well, son, he was big and he hurt pitchers...."

Finally, I got a sweet Kimball Champions mini, this Zach Britton.  I got a bunch of others, but I was really glad I got the Britton.  It came in the pack with the Markakis.

I didn't even discuss the Julio Teheran 'Next 60' auto, the Adrian Gonzalez All Star Relic or the Tom Seaver (Reds) Leather Nameplate...

All in all, I got a sweet box.  I'd like to pick up another at some point, especially if I can chase some of the Brooks parallels...  Anyone got any Brooks Robinson Diamond Parallels (or the base card as well), please hook me up.

Hidden in my Collection - 1960 Topps Carl Yastrzemski RC

I picked up this card at my former card shop when a guy came in looking to unload some cards. I think he was in a financial bind, so he was willing to sell me this card for only $50. I think I did a heck of a job on this one, if I do say so myself.

As you can see, the card isn't in mint condition, but it looks good and I believe I got a good deal.

The best part was going to my brother's house later that night and showing him the rookie card of one of his favorite Red Sox players. I'm not the type who gloats, but i couldn't help it with this card.

Getting a Yastrzemski rookie this easy was nice. I need to try to get some more RCs of hall of famers, but I'm so hung up on getting their autographs on baseballs. Oh well, I think I have time.

Picked Up Some 1971 Topps at the Greenville Card Shop

I had to get some supplies yesterday, so I picked up two more of the 1971 Topps cards that the shop owner was holding on to.
Willie Stargell. I believe this is his first appearance on my blog. Maybe? I don't know. I know that I'm not supposed to like the 1971 or 1979 Pirates. They beat the Orioles in the World Series both of those years in 7 games. Ouch.

Carl Yastrzemski was an awesome player. Too bad he didn't win a World Series. Heck of a hitter, though.

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These are two guys whose autographs I still need to get. Both aren't as expensive as they could be. I'm hoping I get them soon.